


A love that is transparent: another strange year at hogwarts

by SlySama



Series: Unfinished Works. [23]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 00:30:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15522114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySama/pseuds/SlySama





	A love that is transparent: another strange year at hogwarts

**Another Strange Year At Hogwarts.**

 

The day was miserable, anyone you'd come up to would say as much.

The reason why because it was Funeral day for those who had lost their lives in the Final Battle of Hogwarts; the once and for all defeat of Voldemort.

It wasn't as though those who were alive weren't happy because of course they were, the Evil Bastard was gone for good! But many of those lost were family, friends, teachers, lovers.

At this very moment, everyone was gathered down on the grounds of Hogwarts for these funerals and the one being done right now was Remus and Nymphadora Lupin. The sadest part was that they'd had a one year old son; Teddy Lupin.

Teddy was there today, nessled into his Godfathers arms and crying his poor little heart out at the loss of his parents, he had barely knew them. His Godfather wasn't much better, crying himself at the loss of his surrogate Godfather and Nymphadora; his friends. He and Teddy were now the very last of the Marauders, the orginals all gone; they were the only legacies.

"We wish these two lovers the best in the next realm." The officator spoke gruffly, the coffins being lowered into the ground slowly, each person moving to throw a bit of dirt onto the coffins, beautiful flowers too.

Harry stepped up slowly with his Godson wrapped tightly into his arm and threw a larger handful of dirt and two very different flowers than everyone elses.

At the corner of Harry's eye, he once more caught a glimpse of pure white hair; he narrowed his eyes a brief second before returning to his spot with the Weasley's. Why that man would be here at these funerals, even have the nerve to even come back to Hogwarts grounds, Harry didn't know.

But he wanted too.

Without having realised the Funerals were over and done with, most returning home.

"Harry dear, why don't you come with us?" Molly was always a lovely women but sometimes she never took the hint.

"I'm sorry Molly, but I'd prefer to stay here if it's all the same." Harry shrugged slightly, his attention only just wavering to include her question and his answer.

She hmm'd briefly to herself before nodding slowly with a sad smile, "Alright dear, look after yourself and Teddy." He nodded distractedly.

Running a hand threw Teddy's at the moment raven hair and a hand to Harry's shoulder she rounded up the rest of the Weasley's and they departed back to the Burrow.

Hugging tightly to Teddy's shaking form, Harry looked around them trying to find the man that shouldn't of had the right to even be at Hogwarts.

"Malfoy?" Harry muttered.

Swallowing thickly, Draco stayed behind a large boulder; Potter was the last person Draco wanted to be seen by, there was no telling what Potter would do if he caught Draco, Murder him then turn him over to the Ministry?

He nodded resoultely, more than probable.

"Malfoy I know you're here. I saw you." Harry scowled as he walked around slowly, bouncing Teddy gently as he continued to cry.

Draco cringed when he heard him, his footsteps getting closer to where he was hiding. He bit his lip.

"Arry" Sniffle sniffle.

"Shhh it's ok Ted, Uncle Harry's here, shhh." He continued to bounce him gently as he walked around, searching.

"Malfoy come on..." Harry rolled his eyes.

Gulping Draco shuffled on his hands and knees around the boulder and scuffled to his feet, rushing in the opposite direction of The Boy Who Lived Twice.

Hearing a rushing noise behind him and to his right, Harry whipped around quickly on his heels. "Damn it Malfoy, why are you hiding?! I just want to talk to you geez."

 _'Huh! As if, Potter.'_ Draco thought with a scoff.

"Arry,  go 'ome." Teddy sniffled, his hand clenched in his Godfather's shirt.

"We are home Ted, can Uncle Harry talk to Malfoy a minute? Then we'll go inside okay?"

He felt a hesitate nodd against his shoulder; he nodded himself, circling around the side of the tent that had been erected for the ceremonies and funerals.

"Malfoy you know you can't hide forever, right?"

Draco knew he couldn't forever, but maybe just maybe Merlin would let him for just the moment; let him hide from Harry Potter. He closed his eyes, Potter was getting closer. ' _I wish I knew wandless magic..._ ' He sighed, uncharacteristically running his hand through his blonde hair.

"Malfoy come on, will you come out? I just want to talk to you." The sound of grinding teeth travelled over to Draco; his voice was starting to sound frustrated.

Letting out a heavy breath and closing his eyes, he waited for Potter to turn this next corner and see him; he wouldn't move.

"Ahah!" Opening his eyes tiredly, he sighed as he saw Potter pointing his finger at him.

"Potter..." He frowned, he hadn't thought that his voice was that unused; to be so sctrachy?

"Malfoy. Now that you've stopped hiding, care to explain why you're on Hogwarts grounds?"

Draco cringed, noticably. He shrugged, trying to play chalant. "Funerals?"

Harry frowned, "Is that a question?"

Draco shook his head, the hood of his cloak falling off.

The widening of Potter's eyes showed him that he probably did look as shit as he believed himself, perhaps even worse.

"You look like crap..." Harry muttered.

"Thanks..." Draco scowled.

Shaking his head quickly, Harry apologised slowly then shrugged.

"Forget it, I know your not sorry. I already knew I looked like crap anyway, okay?"

"Why, you're always so prestine..."

"I...Haven't been home." His eyes travelled away from the pair, then back; finally looking at them, Potter's messier than usual hair, his red rimmed eyes, the black bags under those unsually pale green eyes. He couldn't look at the baby but he seemed to be clinging very much to Potter.

"You don't look to well yourself."

Frowning Harry tilted his head an inch, as if studying Draco more. "Why would you take the time to notice that?" He shook his head again, "Never mind, you still haven't told me the real reason why your here on Hogwarts grounds."

"I said funerals." He scuffed his foot on the darkened earth.

"I know that's what you said, but I don't believe you; who here requires the presence of Draco Malfoy."

"...No one."

"Then? Your real reason?" Potter pushed, stepping closer.

"I told you!" Draco yelled, making the baby jump and turn his head quickly; eyes blinking red and wide.

Draco blinked himself, this was his baby cousin wasn't it? Nymphadora's son.

He swallowed, blinking quickly.

Harry frowned, his eyes straying to Teddy; his mouth formed an 'O' of understanding when he remembered.

"Teddy's your cousin huh?" Draco hestitantly nodded.

Teddy's hair suddenly changed color to pink as he blinked at Draco, one of the hands clenched in his Godfather's shirt, reaching forward hesitantly towards Draco; he took a step back shaking his head.

"So you came here for the funerals...You mean you came for Remus and Dora's?"

Draco nodded slowly, the feeling of quilt intensifying as he stared at Teddy and Teddy stared at him.

He swallowed again, "I should go..."

"You should..." Harry slowly spoke, watching intensly the emotions having free rein over Draco Malfoy's paler face.

What a day this was for them.

 

**Chapter 1. Another not so normal Hogwarts school year.**

What a strange feeling it was to be back at Hogwarts, for the last year of his schooling. It didn't feel right that he was invited back to finish, that after all he did the previous years it was okay?

He sighed, straightening his dress shirt; he walked slowly forward, tucking his jacket into his backpack.

He was really here, this wasn't a dream or some prank; was it?

Standing infront of those doors for the last time again, seemed somehow wrong like it was beyond wrong that he was here once again; he just couldn't let it go. He shook his head, trying to shake the feelings; pressing his hand against the door he slipped inside.

Hoping against hope he wasn't noticed, having come later so as not to be inflicted with taunts, insults, hexes and general hostality he wasn't sure it had been that wise for non detection.

Or wise even to accept the invitation to come back; but it was to late now.

The Great Hall was crowded with new and old students, chairs and tables piled full of people.

New Professors as well it seemed, excluding Severus of course; he swallowed thickly at the thought.

Thinking back, Severus wasn't even recognised in the war; he was pinned as Dumbledore's murderer and as true as it might of been he'd not had any other choice. He sighed sadly, Potter knew this and yet?

He shook his head, trying to pay attention to the new Headmistress Professor Minerva McGonagall. She was giving a new speech different to the years previous, given by Dumbledore; this was much much different. Telling about the grievenses of the war just gone, the casulties not returning and those who were there and alive, to live their lives to the fullest and not take it for granted.

To not go to the Forbidden Forest, it was still out of bounds as was the third floor.

Introducing new faculty members and beginning the sorting.

The sorting was underway for all the new first years and half the second years who hadn't been sorted properly the previous year; many were now placed into different houses.

Draco tapped his foot against the wall, his hands crossed over his chest; he closed his eyes.

This was tedious.

//

"Arry Arry!" Teddy bounced on his lap, shouting.

"Teddy hush, were in the middle of the sorting feast." Harry tried quieting him down, trying to feed him a bottle of warm milk but he didn't seem to want it or to be if not still and silent atleast silent.

"Hush Teddy please, your making a scene Uncle Harry doesn't want..." He trailed off, looking around and beginning to sound desperate as he tried and failed to get Teddy to be silent.

Every eye in the Great Hall was on Teddy and his Famous Godfather.

"Arry!! Arry!!" He cried, standing up on Harry's knees and clenching his little strong hands in Harry's messy hair.

"Teddy quiet please, I beg you." He was desperate, he couldn't take this much longer, he'd barely gotten any sleep during and after the war, funerals and cermonies not the least of his worries; Teddy's behaviour was on hiatis and no where to be seen these past couple of weeks and all these stares, he really couldn't take all these stares much longer.

Rubbing the side of his face and biting the inside of his mouth from the corner of the room, Draco debated wether or not to tell Potter that his little Godson was misbehaving and screaming like that because he was hurting?

Roughly five minutes of this and Draco could no longer take it anymore, grinding his teeth at all the idiots in the Hall; who he was sure among the Professor's must of had children. He moved swiftly over to where Potter was seated at what would presumably now be the Gryffindor Table once more, he reached down and lifted his small baby cousin from Potter's grasp into his own, a few of Potter's hairs trapped in the baby fist.

He cringed, looking down at Potter where he was clutching, he presumed, where the strands of hair were ripped out.

"Potter damn it, how long have you lived with him? Do you know nothing about your own duties to know stuff about babies if your going to take the inititive to look after one." He scowled as he reached down into Potter's jumper pocket, searching for his wand.

Everyone in the Hall were wide-eyed and itching to hex him, he was sure; including Potter; though he tried to prevent him from removing the wand, not drawing it himself. "Potter!" He yelled frustratedly, smacking him upside the head, it was effectively effective in stopping all movement to stop him.

Harry blinked up at the duo, slowly.

"Ahah!" Finally wrapping his pale fingers around the peice of magical wood and pulling it out, he quickly remembered back to years previous as he cast the charm; depositing a lump of goo onto his pointer finger. Not needing the wand anymore he threw back down into Potter's lap and shoved the finger into the crying baby's open mouth, spreading it all across his gums.

This was also effective in shutting Teddy up, he instantly stopped screaming and threw his head down onto Draco's shoulder with a **_thump_**. His fists realising Harry's hair and clinging to Draco's hair and shirt.

Gritting his teeth he hissed when his cousin's head fell to his shoulder, hard. Draco had a wound from Battle on that very shoulder, and it still was yet to heal; so it hurt like a bitch.

Blinking again twice quickly, Harry pocketed his wand and stood. "What the hell did you just do to my Godson, Malfoy?"

Shaking his head with an annoyed sigh, he adressed Harry like he was a particuarly idiotic moron.

"Well as you can see I, unlike you, stopped my cousin from screaming all the air out of his lungs and dying; I, unlike you, knew **_how_** to stop my cousin screaming and crying in pain. How long have you looked after him exactly Potter? Do you know anything about how to care for a baby?" He raised his eyesbrows in a mocking fashion.

"You can't tell me, you haven't looked up any books or such or even asked the Weasley Matriach about it? Hell, did you honestly think it would be incredibly easy to look after a baby when you found out you were appointed his carer in the event that both his parents died?"

"How can you possibly not notice that your Godson was in pain?" He was annoyed and you could tell.

Harry blinked again, swallowing slowly as he tried to take his Godson back.

Malfoy shook his head slowly and took a step back, "Do you think if I went to the Ministry they'd let me keep my cousin?" Draco laughed mockingly at his own words, "Of course not."

"Do Teddy a favour and actually take the intitive to look for some books and god forbid ask the Weasley Matriach, she breeds them well enough to know a hell of alot of baby care. Don't do a shitty job just because you weren't raised properly."

Licking his lips, Harry took a step forward so he was once more close to Malfoy. "I had no choice over my upbringing Malfoy, but even if the Muggles that raised me were incredibly shallow and hated me atleast I wasn't raised to hate Muggles just because they were born, atleast I wasn't raised like you."

"Give me my Godson back Malfoy before I do have you arrested; I'm sure the Ministry would take you with open arms and no one here would stop them. Why did you even come back to Hogwarts?"

"You realise that no one here, wants you here right?"

It was Draco's turn to blink several times, he nodded with a laughing scoff. "You're right, absoultely right. But I haven't done anything wrong, I knew what was making my cousin hurt and I fixed it, unlike the person that is supposed to be looking out for him and fixing his pains."

"I came back because I was invited too; even I don't know why I ever accepted the invitation but I'm here now and the school year has already started, I can't back out now. Even though everyone here hates me and those that were invited back like me, but that's not a reason for you to ever hate those little kids that were sorted into Slytherin this year; they haven't done anything wrong, they're inoccent kids, so don't critise them and look down on them with disgust like some many have during the years and centuries; they're not bad kids, it's those that look down on them that make them want to lash out."

"That's all I ask." He shrugged, something flashing through those pale silver blue eyes that Harry couldn't decifer.

"Oh and for future reference, he's teething. Get some gel for his teeth and you wouldn't be up every night trying to sooth him."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, trying to detach his cousin from his person.

"Teething?" Harry asked as he tried the same thing.

"Yes Potter, it's when a baby hits that point in their life where they start to grow teeth." He rolled his eyes again as he spoke sarcastic-like.

"Mmm." Finally coaxing Teddy off of his very rude pale cousin, Harry held him to himself and rocked him; Teddy already half asleep, he drifted to baby dreams.

"See ya." Walking away he waved over his shoulder and out into the main Hallway of Hogwarts; his destination, the Dungeons.

 

**Chapter 2. Frustrating first days.**

**  
** It was very early in the morning, before the sun even came up even when Draco lept screaming from his bed.

"Haa Haa Haa Haa Haa." Draco was sitting arrow straight up against the head board puffing air into the cold morning, trying to calm down and forget he'd ever had such a horrid nightmare when he noticed something.

Something destinctively odd about himself.

It wasn't like he'd not known this but, he'd thought that the potions were made not to wear off. He sighed, devestated.

What was he supposed to do now? He'd not thought to bring another batch or 40 with him to Hogwarts. How he thought he could do this, was beyond his comprehention anymore.

Peeking through his Slytherin green bed curtains at the other 3 occupants blissfully still asleep, Draco slipped out of his bed and out into the Hogwarts Halls to the Potions classroom; maybe they'd not removed all of Severus equipment and ingredients yet, or perhaps the new Professor was similar and had what Draco needed, if barely legal.

He hoped so and crossed his fingers as he picked the lock on the door quietly, hoping against hope the Professor hadn't thought to ward against normal muggle methods of breaking in.

Turned out hope and luck were with him, this Professor seemed to be wondorous in gathering ingredients of all types, even those that were barely legal.

Rushing over to the cabinet with all the barely legal ingredients, Draco rumaged around for the ones he needed; including the cauldron it seemed, the Professor had too.

Sighing happily, Draco got to work before it went to far and he wasn't able too anymore; he bit his lip, hoping he could do this in enough time that it wouldn't slip through his hand.

//

It was half an hour later and four minutes before the potion was finally finished and ready to ingest, the problem was could he still drink it? Did he make it in enough time?

Laddling it into a vile, he chugged the slippery liquid down with only gagging twice. Looking down at himself he heaved a greatful sigh, quickly bottling the rest of the potion into a dosen viles and corking them before someone showed up to set up.

Packing them into the the backpack he'd brought along with him he cleaned everything up by hand and peeked out of the Potions classroom door, his hand shaking as he searched for any sign of a Professor; not finding one he quickly rushed back to the Slytherin entrance, muttering the password and jumping up the stairs, he slipped back into bed, hiding his potions and feined as if he were still asleep before someone came to wake him up.

Without realising he slipped back into sleep only to be awoken by Blaise Zabini three hours later for breakfast.

//

Muttering to himself darkly as he headed down with the other Slytherin seventh years, as he wasn't paying attention he bumped into somebody, making the somebody stubble and fall down the stairs, swearing as he hit the ground.

"Fuck!" "Teddy, Teddy? Are you okay?!" Harry frantically searched over the crying baby's form, checking for any injuries after the fall.

"My God Harry are you okay?!" Hermione rushed over after coming out of the Great Hall doors, and seeing them fall down the stairs. "Is Teddy okay?!" She screeched.

"I'm fine 'Mione, fine. I think Teddy's okay, just shaken up." "Fuck" He growled, his eyes narrowing to a death glare as they met the sight of Draco on the stairs staring down at them.

Draco blinked. "Are you okay?"

Harry's eyes turned incredulous, "Am I okay? You just freaking pushed me down the stairs with a baby and you ask if I'm okay? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Draco blinked again, as if generally confused. "What do you mean I pushed you down the stairs? I didn't push anybody." He shook his head.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't Potter."

"Yes you freaking did Malfoy!"

"I did not!"

"You did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did no--" "Oh for the love of! Harry, Malfoy wasn't watching where he was going and neither were you, you stopped in the middle of the staircase, he bumped into you; and you fell." Hermione heaved aggitatedly at the childish bickering.

"Grow up, you have a baby to look out for; quick acting like a child yourself Harry!" She stomped off after that.

They blinked after her looking dazed, "What's got Granger's panty's in a twist?"

"No idea..." Harry muttered, turning back to look at his crying Godson.

"Why were you even coming down from a higher level?" Harry muttered as he tried to sooth his frightened Godson.

Malfoy muttered something, but Harry didn't hear. "Pardon?"

"I said I had to go to the bathroom, the male bathroom in Slytherin isn't working; something about the plumming having clogged up or something..."

Harry chuckled, "Oh..."

"Hmmm."

"Right, well I'm going to go to breakfast now and see if Teddy will calm down enough to eat."

"You're giving him mushed up things right?"

"Yeah..." Harry nodded, "I do know that much, I just hadn't been informed of the teething yet..." Harry trailed off as he walked into the Great Hall.

"Potter."

"Potter?"

"Hmm?" Harry turned around quickly, looking up at him. "What now?"

"Give him some warm milk and a soft cookie, it'll calm him down."

"You know this because?" His eyebrow arched.

Draco arched his in turn, "It's a Malfoy, Black trait."  
  
"So if you were to get upset, a cookie and warm milk would calm you down?" He sounded amused as he asked this and Draco scowled, regretting divulging that bit of private information.

He stalked off without answering Potter, letting him to snort to himself and do as Draco suggested at the Gryffindor Table; it worked.

Sitting at the Slytherin Table and moving his food around the plate, Draco briefly wondered how he was going to get through another year of Hogwarts without a wand.

' _This really was a stupid idea, I won't get anywhere without a wand; I'm practially useless and this is Hogwarts, Magic. How the hell am I going to do classes if I don't possess a wand anymore?'_

He sighed dejectedly, some of the students around him hearing this looked at him oddly.

' _I need a wand, or I need to learn wandless magic and quickly._ '

The bell rang for the first class of the year.

And Draco's heart plummeted.

How did he ever think this was going to work?

Standing slowly and grabbing his bookbag, he resolutely went to his first class and thankfully? It turned out to be Potions.

He smiled widely behind his hand as he sat down at the back row of benches.

This was a class he could do without the aid of a magic wand. Or...

So he'd thought.

**BOOM!!**

Everyones head whipped around in the direction of the loud explosion to see a grime covered Draco Malfoy, his eyes screwed tightly shut against the sludge dripping into his eyes from his hair.

"Well shit, Malfoy's blow up Potions now?" Ron Weasley announced, sounding shocked and delighted all at once.

The new Potions Professor smiled kindly at him from behind the table. "Mr. Malfoy perhaps you'd kindly go to the infirmary, though the Potion wasn't dangerous, your's hasn't turned out quite like it should have."

"Off you go." She shooed him out the door, his bookbag dangling from his fingertips as he was handed a hankerchief to wipe his eyes and head to the infirmary by himself covered in who knew what.

"Well fuck, I can't even make Potions now?" He once more sounded dejected as he trudged up to the Infirmary and was tended too by Pomphrey.

"Quite unlike you Mr. Malfoy to blow a Potion up."

"Hmm."

"Is everything alright?"

"Fine, can I go now?" He muttered, reaching for his bookbag.

"You're free to go. You're lucky it wasn't dangerous."

"Mmhm." He muttered once more, hopping off the bed and trudging out the Infirmary doors down to his next class, which he knew wasn't going to be any better. Because how can you do tranfigurations without a wand?

Huffing he knocked on the doorframe, "Sorry I'm late..." He didn't look at anybody as McGongall, who apparently was still teaching her class asked him to take a seat.

"Today we are going to be turning a white feathered Snidgit into a white furred kitten. Begin." She sat behind her desk for once, scribbling something down with her quill a mile a minute.

 ** _He_** sat looking down at the caged white feathered Snigit. ' _Now what?_ '

"Malfoy, Malfoy?"

Turning his head to his right, he eyed Zabini. "What?" He whispered back.

"Do you know how?"

"Yes..."

"Can you show me?" Blaise asked.

"Do it yourself."

"Oh come on, show me with yours." He pointed at the jittery Snigit.

"I don't want too."

"Oh come on, if you can do it show me."

"Zabini, I said I don't want too; okay? Do it yourself." He snarled.

"...." Zabini pouted, he could see out of the corner of his eye.

' _Even if I had wanted too, it's not like I would be able too. I'm going to fail this year and all this would of been a waste, there would of been no point in doing all this so I can come back and do the rest of my education and live a life._ ' Sigh.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

He was startled out of his thought by McGonagall standing over his desk looking down at him and the cage still with the Snigit inside.

"Are you refusing to do your classroom work?"

"No M'am."

"Then take out your wand and your Snigit and please get to work transforming him into a white furred kitten Mister Malfoy." She strolled off to investigate others doing their work, leaving Draco to sigh again and thump his head down on the table top heavily.

"Has Malfoy seemed odd to you since he came back?" Harry muttered to his friends either side of him. (Teddy'd been left in the care of Madam Pomphrey since the start of the day and he'd pick him up when Lunch and Dinner roled around.)

"Now that you mention it, he has been a bit strange. He hasn't exactly been his usual snarking prat self, hasn't actively tried insulting us; even defending the younger Slytherin students and he blew up a potion; which is more than enough to say something isn't right."

Ron nodded his agreement with his girlfriend, Harry too of course.

"Do you think it is Malfoy?" Ron quired, looking to the back where the Malfoy in question was thumping his head repeatedly against the tabletop of his desk.

"He's not very Malfoy-like is he?" Harry wondered, staring himself; noticing that ever since he'd first seen Malfoy at the funerals, he'd not seen him with a wand and not to mention he'd used Harry's own the previous night, not his own.

He frowned. Why didn't Malfoy seem to have a wand?

"Mister Malfoy I will not ask this again, take out your wand and begin your classwork now, please." Even adding the please she still sounded quite angry.

He looked up dejectedly at her; plead sick? Forgot his wand? Plead arrogance and refuse to do the work? No...He'd get kicked out, school was the only reason he was here and hospitalty of the Headmistress, he can't get on her bad side. But how can he get out of this? It'd come up in other classes too, he had no doubt.

A wand was a very precious thing in the Wizarding World, without a wand you were hopeless, without his wand, he couldn't continue his studies.

But he had no wand.

And it wasn't like he could get another made.

"Mister Malfoy!" He cringed, his eyes closed tightly.

 _'Guess I will have to just say I no longer possess a wand. So long education and..._ ' He sighed.

"I'm sorry Professor, I--" Flicking his wand under the table chalanty, undetectably, Harry cast a little charm to save him.

"--I...I don't feel so well.." Draco gagged.

The Headmistresses eyes wided marginally before she shooed him out the door to the Infirmary once again.

"And suddenly I'm sick? How did I even get sick?" He gagged again and stumbled into the wall, losing balance.

Sitting up in the Infirmary, waiting for the sickness and dizziness to go away; Harry Potter walked in as if he owned the place, he was surprised though, it was a wonder he didn't; he at least was in the Hospital wing as if it were his second home.

"Potter? what are you doing here?" His head tilting briefly in Draco's direction he smiled slightly and flicked his wand inperseptively, but Draco saw it and narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Potter did you--" Before he could grind out the rest of his words, Pomphrey came out with a bundle wrapped in a blanket snuggled to her bosom.

"Here you are Potter, he's fast asleep; had a bottle not too long ago." She smiled sweetly, like Potter was her own son.

"Thanks Poppy, appreciate it; I'll bring him back up after lunch. I have another two classes." He walked swiftly from the room after that and she bussled her way over to him. He was feeling much better, all of a sudden and she let him go without complaint.

Making him promise to eat alot of lunch and dinner. "Psshh." As if he really needed too.

Draco made it almost all the way to the Great Hall when he remembered about the flicking of Potter's wand in his direction, had Potter spelled him to get sick in the middle of class? And why of all things?

Why would Potter help him out like that? Was it consciously or?

He kept puzzling over this for the remainder of the trip down the stairs, even sitting down at the Slytherin Table for lunch, he couldn't let it slip from his mind why Potter would do such a thing for him of all people. Not to mention the real problem of not having a wand. He groaned miserably and dropped his fork, letting his head rest against his hand.

He was screwed wasn't he??

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't plead sick for the remainder of the school year, then he wouldn't really be attending his last year then would he? And then the whole point of doing this would be null and void. Mute. Worthless. Completely and idotically stupid.

He groaned again, unconciously garnering attention he didn't want from those closest to him.

"Malfoy are you alright?" Daphnee Greengrass asked quietly, leaning over her food to get a closer look at his paler face.

"Fine."

"Are you sure, you don't seem fine?" Zabini spoke next to him concerned, "You've been groaning since you sat down, are you still not feeling well from class?"

"I'm fine." His eyes drew open slowly to scowl at Blaise Zabini.

He held his hands up in a surrender pose, "Sorry..." and went back to eating his own lunch, ignoring everything around him, including his moping house mate.

//

"He's moping...." Harry muttered from across the Hall, directly in view of Malfoy and his depressing aura. "Maybe he's **_not_** Malfoy?"

"I don't see why he wouldn't be, he seemed slightly himself last night?" She spoke distractedly as she read from one her massive books she always brought with her everywhere.

"Well I suppose so...But did anyone notice that he used my wand the other night, not his?"

"Hmm?" She looked up suddenly, a serious expression her face. "He did?"

"Yeah, think back 'Mione; he reached straight into my pocket and took it out..."

"Maybe he didn't want to try reaching for his own with a baby in his arms?" Neville said who was sitting quitely beside Harry, listening.

"Nev's right mate, maybe Malfoy has a bit of human heart and didn't want to accidently drop his cousin?" Ron shrugged, shoveling in a pile of mash and bangers.

All their eyes widened marginally as Ron spoke in defense for Draco Malfoy.

"Ron are you feeling alright, that almost sounded like you were defending Malfoy?" Harry asked incredulously.

Ron shrugged with a mouth full of food, "I'm not defending Malfoy, I'm just saying that it'd take a really heartless person to want to hurt his own cousin. I mean Malfoy can't be all evil right? He has to have a heart in that body somewhere otherwise he wouldn't be living would he? It's a possibilty isn't it that Malfoy didn't want to try reaching for his wand if it could of caused him to drop his cousin; it did look as though he wasn't used to holding such a small being in his arms."

Harry shrugged a shoulder, thinking on that; it was true enough and he looked uncomfortable. "Maybe but I'm still leaning towards the more obvious choice; Malfoy no longer possesses a wand."

"You can't be sure of that Harry."

"I'm not saying I am, It's just what I think. You're the smartest witch in our year Hermione probably the whole of Hogwarts, you can think; Malfoy didn't have a wand on his desk or in his hand in Potions this morning like previous years, he also didn't have a wand anywhere on his desk in transfigurations and he wasn't exactly being himself in that class either, moping then too and wacking his head against the table top." He shrugged again, frustratedly. "I don't think he has a wand at all. If he owned one still, he'd have it with him in classes; wouldn't you think?" He eyed his smart friend as she thought about what he'd said.

"What your saying does make some sense, but Harry if he didn't own a wand anymore; why not go to a wand makers and get a new one? Or why did he come back to Hogwarts?"

More frustrated, Harry stabbed a potato on his plate more viciously then you would normally. "I don't know."

"But I'm almost sure he doesn't Hermione."

"I hear you Harry, but even if he doesn't this isn't any of your concern. It's his."

"Yeah yeah, I know." He was quite, his eyes still glued to the hunched over figure at the Slytherin Table.

He returned to his lunch and Teddy after that. His mind still spinning with Malfoy's non possession of a wand.

//

Dropping his hand silently to the Table top, centermeters from his untouched plate, Draco lifted his gaze to those across the Hall at the Red and Gold Table; he could of sworn that he'd felt eyes on him, watching him for several minutes.

It was a little disconcerting, though it wasn't as though he and Potter hadn't done that for the last seven years; staring at each other from across the hall with scornful eyes full of hate and resentment. But just then had seemed different somehow, as if they were looking **_through_** him not **_at_** him. He shrugged inperceptively, forgetting his lunch and standing to exit the Hall.

It wasn't like he ate anymore anyway.

  
**Chapter 3. What to do?**

 **  
** He went to bed early that night, even so, sleep evaded him more. Laying up against his headboard in his silk pjamas, he sighed and rubbed his face. What was he going to do about all this?

Why did he ever accept the invitation to come back to Hogwarts?

Hogwarts invitation back.

Coming back.

Not having a wand.

To be unable to get another wand.

Potter helping him?!

"Shit!" What was he going to do?!

And it wasn't like he could hide his secrets forever, eventually they'd all find out. But strangely, that didn't scare him.

What scared him was that he couldn't do this forever. He only had a year at most, and that was if his potions lasted that long.

He sighed, grimacing.

None of this was working out quite as much as he'd hope it would; why couldn't Merlin allow him this small second chance, why did he want to ruin it for him so quickly?

"I beg of you." Draco muttered, pleaded to the heavens.

"I beg of you." He sobbed, body falling foward into the matress; hands clenched in his messed up blonde hair.

He laid like that most of the night, sleep still evading him. He wasn't going to be a very happy person in the morning, he hoped nothing pissed him off.

He'd reak havoc on Hogwarts Halls and Students.

That'd be a unpleasant experience for anybody; including himself.

//

Soon the artifical light charmed into the dungeon windows to show students it was morning filtered through his closed bed curtains, his sleep deprived form muttered darkly through his fist.

"Lovely. Havoc has arrived. Prepare yourself Hogwarts." He spoke sarcastically as he dragged himself across his matress and stepped slowly from behind his curtains.

"Already this morning feels tedious." Grabbing his towel, toiletries and clothes he headed for the prefect bathroom for a wonderous bath; maybe he could try and calm himself with soothing warm water, his favorite scents and a lovely  blissful calming atmosphere.

He laughed as he sunk into the blissful water, "This is glorious, I've missed this." He sighed sadly to himself, thinking about certain things he didn't want to think about yet.

"I suppose Muggles are good for a many things. You may not know this Potter, but you have a very wrong impression of me." He tilted his head at his towel and the muggle tools laying atop. He chuckled, yes; a great many things.

' _If it weren't for Muggles, I wouldn't of never been able to su--I would of never been able to get into the Potions classroom or the prefects bathroom.'_

He choked suddenly at his own stuttering thoughts, a frown on his handsome face.

"Why?" He asked suddenly to the empty room.

Biting his lip only slightly enough to make a dint, he nodded resoultely to himself. He could do this, he'd work this out; no problem. Right? Right.

Letting himself soak in the large bathtub for a full two hours, he finally pulled himself from his drousiness and stepped out slowly, drying himself and putting clothes on, he then exited, making sure to the lock the door once more as if no one had even entered and headed determintely down to the second half of Double Potions.

Stopping at Slytherin house and his bedroom, he dropped off his bathroom things, grabbed his bag and headed down the stairs, out the portrait hole and down the hallway to the Potions classroom.

**Knock Knock.**

He waited.

And waited...

**Knock Knock.**

Waited further...

Still waited.

He lowered his head, "Hello?!"

Something smashed into the otherside of the door; he reared back. That something said "Ouch" Before the door was thrust open finally, emitting their Professor looking sheepish over her shoulder as the class laughed at her.

"Mr. Malfoy?" She smiled politely.

"Yes, sorry I'm late Professor..." He muttered, his hand unconciously running through his wet hair.

"I see, and where have you been to make you so late Mister Malfoy?"

"Oh, well I--"

"Yes?" She raised her eyebrows inquiringly.

He looked anywhere but at the new Potions Professor, trying to think of a good lie to tell her for his lateness. "You see--"

She tilted her head, "Mister Malfoy do you have an excuse or are you trying to make one up right this minute?"

"Uh..."

She nodded with disappointment, "That's what I thought. I am afraid I can't let you into my classroom Mister Malfoy, yesterdays lesson you blew up a Potion."

"Well yes but--"

"I am afraid I quite like my cauldrons much intact like the previous Professor, also I dislike my students coming in late to my class without an appropriate excuse. As you do not have one, you can wait out here in the hallway for this class to finish."

His eyes widened incredulously. "Are you serious?"

The Professor's mouth dropped at the audacity of this student and his attitude, "Yes I am quite serious Mister Malfoy, thank you. Sit." She pointed to the ground at the opposite wall.

Draco followed her finger and drew more incredulous, "You expect me to sit on the filthy floor?"

"Sit, stand. I careless Mister Malfoy, but please do one of those for the remainer of my class." He shook his head at her, eyes still wide, narrowing slightly.

"I have been the top of this class since I was 11 M'am, you can't kick me out."

"I most certaintly can Mister Malfoy, where as your last Professor may have looked kindly on you and looked past your dreadfull attitude, I, will not."

He blinked.

"I am your Professor, Mister Malfoy, I would kindly like some respect from my students not arrogance and lateness, it is inexcusable. Now wait outside for class to finish to go to your next class or you will find yourself in a weeks worth of detention." She smiled sweetly but it didn't reach her eyes.

"A weeks..worth of detention."

"Yes."

He reared back a little and licked his lips, " ** _Professor_** , with all due respect of course but I am the top of this class, I have never been late to Potions class; can you over look this once?"

"Over look this?" He nodded quickly. "Are you mocking me?"

"Mocking...You?"

"Yes Mister Malfoy, why on earth would you think I would over look this?"

He swallowed.

"Let me guess; your last Professor let anything you did slide, is that it? You got everything you wanted with your last Professor? Your Professor, you were his favorite student, your Professor was a family friend even. You were rotten to your class mates and not once did he scold you, you got away with anything when your Professor was here? He never deducted points off his favorite student." "I highly doubt if you were even the top of your class, and wether it would of made any difference if you were. But Mister Malfoy your last Professor is no longer here, I am. I am your Professor and I will not put up with it, do you hear me Mister Malfoy."

He swallowed again, his eyes roaming behind her at the students crowded in the doorway watching the scene play out.

He licked his lips, opened his mouth, tried to say something then closed it again.

"Mmm." She hummed, "Now quitely do as told and wait." She closed the door on his face.

He finally sneered as the door closed sharply in front of his face. "Bitch."

It flew open again.

" **What was that Mister Malfoy?** "

He shook his head, "I didn't say anything **_Professor_**."

"Is that so?"

"Yes **_Professor_**." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"50 points from Slytherin." She then slammed the door once more and resumed her class, uninterrupted.

He heaved out a heavy breath and lent against the opposite wall, "50 points?" He muttered darkly, his fingers gripping his still wet hair.

"Bitch." This time thankfully, his words didn't carry. Or she didn't acknowledge them.

//

"Did Malfoy just call the Professor a bitch?" Ron laughed lowly, chopping some disgusting pink root.

Hermione nodded, a frustrated look on her face.

"Sure did, did you see his hair?" Harry asked, "It was wet.."

"So?"

Letting out a frustrated sigh at the same time as Hermione; different reasons of course. He spoke slowly, " ** _So_** , it means that he was late probabaly because he was having a shower or something and didn't recognise the time, but that's not like Malfoy is it? And it certaintly isn't like Malfoy to come to class with his hair dripping wet; he'd dry it with a drying charm, would he not?"

"You're trying to make another point about him not having a wand again aren't you?" Hermione asked warily.

He nodded resolutely, "Yes. 'Mione I'm sorry, but you guys have to be starting to think it too."

"It's none of our business if he does or doesn't Harry; let it be."

"If he fails and gets expelled, one less worry for us and for him 's'ppose too."

"Why's that?" He looked at Ron with lowered brows.

"Well course, he doesn't have a wand presumably right? So...It won't get broken." He shrugged, then cursed as he knicked his finger with the knife.

"Right..." Harry muttered returning to his chopping too as the Professor strolled by.

She wasn't nearly as bad as Snape but then...They still haven't seen the extent to her yet.

//

"Stupid bitch." Draco continued to mutter darkly as he sank to the ground, tucking his knees to his chin defiently. His finger ran across the cracks in the darkened damp dungeon tiles as he waited for the class to let out.

Slowly beginning to feel tired he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the dungeon wall. So **_now_** sleep decided it was changing it's mind about evading him huh?

He let out a little humph chuckle before he completely fell asleep against the wall, of course that was until there was a yell inside the classroom and he wacked his head square on the brick wall.

"The fuck?" He groaned as the door slammed open on it's hinges.

"You!" Growled.

"Hmm?" He looked up through his fringe at the person standing over him with her hands on her hips angrily.

"Don't you hmm me Mister Malfoy. Care to explain this?" She screeched, two viles hanging from her finger tips.

"Explain what?" His expression was still one of pain as he rubbed the back of his head as he looked up at her.

"This." She shook the empty viles, he raised a confused brow.

"You're going to have to use more words than that, you're not making sense **_Professor_**...."

"Did you take my ingredients?" Her eyes were furious orbs of molten gold.

"Ingredients? How can I take your ingredients I haven't been in the classroom." She narrowed her eyes, "You think I'm stupid Mister Malfoy?"

He opened his mouth and clenched his teeth, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Get up!"

"Huh?"

"Get up! I said." She shifted one of the viles to her hand with the other and yanked him roughly to his feet. "Ouch, let go!" He yelled, trying to detach her death grip on his arm.

"Let go." He ground out, unsuccessfully trying to prise her fingers off.

"You tell me the truth this instant, did you steal these ingredients?" She yanked him all the way into the classroom, his feet scuffing on the floor as he was dragged across it to her locked ingredients cabinet.

Everyone once more stared on at the scene. Jaws hanging wide open.

"I didn't take your ingredients, why would I?" He sneered.

Her eyes lowered at him, like she thought he was being deliberately obtuse.

"I know students can steal Mister Malfoy, I am not stupid; as much as you would like to believe."

"Oh. Well if your not stupid, then exactly why aren't you using your ingredients to make a potion to find out who went into your private ingredients or better yet your wand?"

"Because I have no need, I know who did already." She narrowed her eyes.

"The question is why you would need these ingredients Mister Malfoy."

He rolled his eyes annoyed, "Why do you think I stole them?"

"And wouldn't you?"

"Why would I?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Grrrr." "Look Miss I didn't steal your stupid ingredients alright?"

"You have no right to accuse me of such a thing and nobody else, I haven't even been in here today except for now when you manhandled me. By the way....Miss...GET OFF!!" He screamed in her face; she flinched back, letting go.

He nodded angrily.

"Why not any of the students that have actually been in your classroom?" He narrowed his eyes further at her as he rubbed his bruised arm.

"Mister Malfoy I know you stole those ingredients."

" **How**." He enforcised.

She huffed angrily, "Mister Malfoy, I am running out of patience. What did you use these ingredients for?"

His right eye twitched.

" ** _What?_** "

"Mister Malfoy." She narrowed her Golden eyes.

It twitched again at her aurdacity.

"Why do you think I stole them? Why aren't you accusing anyone else, that actually **was** in your classroom."

"Because Mister Malfoy, I believe I have already told you this minutes prior, that I **know** you stole them." She huffed once again, her hands returning to her hips and her foot tapping the ground.

"But you still haven't told me how you 'know' it was me." He quotated when he spoke the word 'know'.

She sighed heatedly and removed her ellwood wand; it was light in color and the handle shone with flecks of Gold.

The wand was swished around the air in front of the cabinet with intrecate patterns and spellwork, then the wand lowered and the polished wood cabinet began to smoke and emitt the smells of his colone, crystal blue puffs of the very same smoke began to twine together to form the letters D.L.M above in the mist that remained after another flick of her wand. 

He scowled, clenching his teeth together. "Well?" She spoke so sweetly, but dangerously; like liquid acid.

"Letters? What do a bunch of letters prove?"

"I haven't stolen anything and you can't possibly prove that with three little letters in your damn crystal blue mist." He scowled further and hoped his eyes and voice weren't betraying him.

"You stole from me Mister Malfoy. They prove very much that you did so."

"I didn't steal anything." Enforcied.

She nodded with a sickening smile stretched across her pink lips.

"Yes. You did; so what are you making with my ingredients Mister Malfoy?"

"Nothing. I told you; I haven't stolen your damn ingredients."

"Nothing?" She was beginning to sound herself, very arrogant; that sweet pretense of hers disappearing with the last of the mist.

He swallowed and watched her as she narrowed her molten Gold eyes and took a couple steps closer to him; leaning to be inches from his face.

She arrogantly made a scoffing sound in the back of her throat; much like a mocking laugh and nodded her head just once. She suddenly stood straight then and spun on her heal, heading rapidly in the direction her office.

Draco stood there, blinking and thinking rapidly himself. He could feel all the eyes on him, especially those Green of Harry Potter's narrowed on him.

He breathed out inaudibly, trying to think of a way out of this mess when the bitchy Professor came back...But she wasn't alone. Headmistress and Professor Minerva McGonagall was there with her looking every bit disappointed and angry.

"Mister Malfoy." Her tone brisked no arguement.

"H-Headmistress." He announced hesitantly, cringing and hating himself for the slight stutter in her title.

"Am I to believe what Professor Aisha has told me is correct? You have stolen igredients from her private potions cabinet? It is one thing to steal from the schools supplied ingredients Mister Malfoy, but to steal from a Professor is quite another thing. Is this true?" He shook his head in denial at the same time the bitch beside her nodded hers angrily; shaking the viles in her fingertips agressively.

 "I didn't steal anything Professor..." She lowered her head sadly and sighed at the desperateness laced in his voice.

He swallowed thickly himself as he heard himself.

"He has Headmistress; I have proof." She said angrily then proceeded to make the same intricate spellwork as she had before, revealing the 'proof'.

"Hmmm." McGonagall sighed to herself inside, she really didn't want to believe that the young man would steal ingredients when he was let back in to her school on a whim of gratitude and hospitality.

If he had... After all. It was hard to believe someone that had his past; he should be gratefull he was allowed a second chance at his last year of education.

"Hmm."

There was that sound again, he tried disguising his swallow.

"I will be conducting a thorough search of your dormitory Mister Malfoy."

He tried not to let his emotions show in his eyes as she announced this.

She was nodding and walking quickly away back to her duties and teaching as he was panicking deep inside. Thickly swallowing and blinking, thinking rapidly in succession.

 _'Shit.' 'SHIT.' 'SHIT!' Think think think think think. Draco think!! What am I going to do, if she finds all those potions the Professor's bound to know what they are when shown too, the Headmistress probably even knows herself then I'm even more screwed then just getting expelled for stealing. And you can bet the bitch here would insist I be expelled for stealing. If I'd bet anything, she blamed me because of my past, because of who I am. Not just because she knows I stole them. I mean those initials could mean anybody right? Right.'_ He nodded to himself here in his head.

_'But at any rate, I need to get rid of those potions somehow even though I don't want too. Maybe I can just transfer them somewhere? But... I can't get to my room before the Headmistress. There isn't anyway that's...SHIT. What the fuck am I supposed to do now?'_

He sighed audibly; everyone clearly heard this.

_'Where did I even put them anyway??'_

His white eyebrows lowered down in thought; trying to remember where he'd stashed them in the first place. He'd come back to the dormitory very early in the morning, feverishly thinking of a place to put them. Hmmm. _'Oh!'_

Remembering, he'd ended up stashing them away quickly into the trunk he'd found under his bed, the trunk Lucius had given to him back the year before. He'd pushed it way underneath before having left Hogwarts hurriedly with Severus a couple months later...

Now it was useful, he'd not had any desire to ever use the thing; which was why he'd pushed it there. Apparently, no one had thought to check for such things in the dungeons.

You see the trunk was special itself, it was after all a gift from his Father.

The user could put anything in and the trunk would lock and conceal for it's master. But the moment someone else tried to open and remove it's contents before they could, it would vanish anything inside, anything that had to be kept hidden and secret. Things such as evidence or something damning.

Which might also be damning itself, especially when one hides things such as life saving potions inside.

Hopefully, the Headmistress would not search underneath his bed; Not having a wand anymore, he'd not been able to cast a disillusionement charm.

So it was very much clear to the eye; seeable if one were to look underneath the bed as it were.

He cringed slightly, thinking about when she found them, because he had no doubt that she would; and that she'd open it, all his potions would vanish; instantiously vanish, into thin air. Into nothingness. Lost forever.

And if he lost those potions forever?

All Hell would break lose. Atleast...For him.

Closing his eyes, he swore under his breath quite colorfully and quite unlike a Malfoy should; he was supposed to take another full dose of potion that night. "Shit."

The Professor chuckled under her breath as she watched him struggle and heard him curse. "You're a real bitch." He spoke aloud straight to her face, precisely when the Headmistress returned.

Hearing the last word she frowned angrily herself, clucking her tongue disapprovingly.

"You do not call your Professors such things Mister Malfoy. They are here to protect and teach you things you need in life. In turn you owe them your respect, not such foul language."

The Professor smiled triumphily, "Well Headmistress?"

Turning to face the Potions instructer, "I did not find any such ingredients or any potions that may of been concocted, but I did find an odd trunk underneath Mister Malfoy's bed. Any such things were not found inside, but it was locked considerably for having nothing in it's possession." She turned to face Draco now. "You will however be getting four days worth of Detention with Professor Aisha for that remarkably rude comment to your Professor. Mister Malfoy." She eyed him carefully, hearing him curse again but she just shook her head and strolled out of the room at the sound of the bell ringing, angrily.

....Now what the hell was he supposed to do?

Was this it?

Was it going to all be over now?

Time completely wasted, second chance completely wasted and idiotic?

To think he thought he was allowed to have a second chance?

But this was all he got?

A couple days at most, for a second chance?

Maybe they didn't think he was worth the second chance after all.

It was completely out of his reach now, wasn't it?

For good?

  
**Chapter 4. Well Shit! Transparent.**

  
"Thanks Merlin." Draco sarcastically thanked from his laying position on his bed, curtains drawn to keep unwanted prying eyes out; not that there was anyone in Slytherin house, everyone was still having classes.

"So. What do I do now, hide?"

He'd lasted a day, a friggen day! His secrets were about to be thrown out there for all of Hogwarts to see, for everyone to throw to the daily prophet. He wasn't even allowed more, he got one at most. One freaking day to have a second chance.

What had he done?

Was he really that much of a terrible person that he wasn't allowed a second chance but a day before his secrets were revealed to the world and he disappeared.

"Well shit, if I had known this...Then I would of never done it. It's a waste of time, and hard to find ingredients."

"Why did I even have them bother? It wasn't worth it at all. It's ruined, all of it."

If it weren't for that bitch of a Professor, then maybe he would of gotten away with it longer; at least finished half way through the school year then had his secrets be revealed.

He was really pathetic.

Pushing himself slowly up to the headboard, he lent against it tiredly; groaning lowly.

"So it starts..." He uttered barely audible.

It wasn't till a few hours later, around the time everyone gathered in the Great Hall for dinner time that he woke and noticed; It was in progess.

The revealing of his secrets.

He sighed, letting a tear slide down his very pale cheek. This was it, should he go to dinner or stay hidden in his room behind the bed curtains?

Blowing out what he assumed was still air he slipped from behind the bed curtains and shuffled down the dormitory stairs, out the empty Slytherin common room and into the dungeon corridors, up the stairs and pressed his slightly cooler hand onto the large Oak doors of the Great Hall.

He gulped, pushing his light hair from his pale eyes, "It would seem everyone's already at dinner..." He trailed off, placing his other cooler paler hand on the other side of the Oaken doors, pushing them slowly open; the creaking echoed throughtout the Hall till every eye lay on those doors and the one person entering too late to dinner.

He swallowed thickly, the sound carrying across omniously.

_'Is it just because I'm nervous, or is it too quiet in here...? Why? Has it progressed that much, I can still feel... This, this silence; it's deafening, scary. It's not right. It should be loud and boistorous in here, why, why is it so quiet?'_

He roamed his eyes around the Hall, they settled on one person sitting in the middle of the middle Table, covered in Red and Gold.

He closed his eyes, he hoped that if he were to move; he wouldn't glide just yet, because maybe it wasn't so bad yet and he **_could_** get away with this; at least for a little more time. He was atleast still half human, wasn't he?

"Mmmalfoy...?"  


His name was muttered and stressed in the form of a question, he looked down then up and around, he'd not been aware he'd opened his eyes and moved; he humphed, he'd actually moved to stand behind Potter, the person his eyes had lingered on at his entrance.

"Potter..." He trailed off.

Potter looked very disconcerted up at him; "Uhm, are you okay?"

Draco didn't say anything as he stared down at him for a moment, trying to read whatever was flitting across Potter's beautiful Green eyes.

When he did slowly answer, it was quite and simple. "I'm fine..."

"You're...uhm, fine? Okay...So then why are you hovering behind my seat, standing at the Gryffindor Table...Why did you come over here...?" Harry trailed off several times, his finger then pointed beside Draco backwards, at the Slytherin Table, who's occupants had odd, confused looks on their faces.

"Uhm...You're uh, uhm, Table is over there..."

Draco nodded slowly as he followed the finger, "So it is..." His voice sounded far away as if he were in some kind of trance. Harry frowned as he heard, watching as Draco stood there and muttered to himself quitely, inaudibly and rubbed the side of his neck, as though sheepishly.

"Are you uh, sure you're okay?" Harry stood then, a concerned frown marring his forehead.

"Mmm." Was his only response.

_'My hand feels sticky?'_

He pulled his hand down from where it had been laying against his neck, rubbing slowly; a little embarrassed for coming over to where his eyes had strayed and lingered too long.

When he raised it to eye level, his eyebrows drew down in a frown of confusion. Blood? _'Why. Why do I have Blood? Even if...Even if it were...Why would I...Be Bleeding?'_

Harry was looking too, his eyes widening as he realised what the sudden substance was. "Blood?" He whispered, "Blood? Malfoy you're bleeding?!"

"Hmm?" He looked up slowly, his eyes looked to Harry almost lost of all Silver-Blue. They were almost white, just a tiny fleck of Silver remained. "So it is..."

"Potter." He laughed chockingly suddenly. "I don't...don't feel good."

He swallowed thickly, and wobbled on his feet.

Harry's eyes gradually widened the longer Draco just stood there looking dazed and sick.

The wound on his neck seemed to seep more blood down onto his white uncrisp shirt. Another wound seemed to seep blood down from his forehead suddenly, mingling with that on his neck.

"What the--" He cut himself off, unable to actually voice what he was seeing. Wounds suddenly kept appearing on Malfoy's gradually growing paler and paler body.

As if from out of no where, was someone cursing him from somewhere in the Hall? He looked around suddenly as if looking for that person, but he saw nobody; everyone seemed just as shocked and startled as Harry felt and he supposed looked.

"M--Malfoy, what the hell is going on?? I don't understand." Harry shook his head as he took out his wand and stepped forward.

He pointed it shakily to Draco's profusely bleeding neck.

Draco once more lifted his already blood stained hand but this time he lifted it to his head, another gash this one deeper and longer appearing down his arm; there were a couple of bites marks through the pale skin too.

Harry kept shaking his head as he tried and subsequently failed at healing the sudden wounds appearing.

"I don't understand!" Harry's voice was starting to sound desperate the more he tried and failed to heal him.

"Harry maybe he should just be taken to the Infirmary to see Pomphrey?" Hermione's own voice was shaky and he heard her swallow thickly.

"Maybe someone should get Pomphrey!" Harry yelled, like hell he was going to move Malfoy when he looked like this.

"He shouldn't be moved, someone get Pomphrey!!"

No one moved, no even the teachers for sometime. They were just watching as the scene played out, it wasn't as though they cared for Draco Malfoy the son of a Death Eater.

Some had actually even fainted at the sight of all that blood running down Malfoy's body, seeping profusely and pooling on the Great Hall's floor. Even fainted at just the fact that Malfoy was just standing there as the blood continue to pool, his pale form growing paler by the second and he was calmly standing there; staring at his blood soaked hands.

"Malfoy seriously, please. Tell me what the hell is going on right now?" His voice was seeped in desperation; he was still trying and failing to heal every wound that appeared.

"Does no one realise he could die?! Why isn't anyone getting the nurse?!" Harry screeched, "He doesn't deserve this!" Someone moved then and he wasn't sure who and he didn't care; as long as they got Madam Pomphrey everything was okay.

Harry shivered suddenly.

Laying his hand on Malfoy's chest, he shivered once more but he frowned this time too, shifting his hand slightly he let it lay where Malfoy's heart should be beating steadly or fast considering he was bleeding so much; only? He wasn't. At all...

Malfoy didn't have a heart beat.

"What the--" Harry stuttered and cut himself off again, a confused wary expression gracing his features and staying there; his wand hanging losing from his fingers down at his side.

"Ma--Malfoy." He sounded frightened. "Malfoy--what the--what the hell is going on and please tell me. Say something."

There was that desperation again.

"Harry?" Hermione asked quitely, as if afraid to speak louder and making everything all the more real and horrifying.

"Wh--what?"

"Are you okay?" Moving around the bench and laying a soothing hand on her best friends arm.

He shook his head, not looking at her but at Malfoy who still looked just as dazed, more even. "No, no I'm not okay Hermione. Not at all." He shook his head again and blinked a couple times. He felt choked up.

"Malfoy. Listen, okay listen?" He shook Hermione's hand off and lifted both his to Draco's face, placing them on each colder than ice cheek; he shivered again.

"Please wake up. You need to tell me what's going on, maybe I can help if you tell me what's wrong; why you're bleeding so much. Maybe--Maybe I can help?" Harry's eyes began to water as he desperately tried to get Malfoy to listen to him, to wake up and focus on him and tell him.

Draco could feel the tears as they slid down his cold cheeks, could feel Potter's hands on either side of his cold face. It hurt, it hurt so much. He could feel another wound open and he visibly winced this time, it was closer to his unbeating heart then the others. He even thought, that was the one that had probably done it the first time.

But none of this was as bad as it had been the first time, probably because the first time; he was still alive.

"Potter..." He whispered, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth slowly.

Harry blinked and swallowed thickly around the lump lodged in his throat; he could feel the tears sliding over his hands and could see them; bright and glistening, tinged with blue.

Memories.

He frowned. These were Draco Malfoy's memories.

He gasped and blinked quicker. "Malfoy!"

Draco lifted his hands slowly and placed them over Harry's on his face, he tilted his head, unwantingly opening the long gash on his neck further, the ones on his arms began to bleed more too, the bites aswell, the other gashes. Harry stepped further forward shakily, he wanted to stop all the bleeding but he didn't know how or even if he could anymore.

"Malfoy, I want answers. Now." He uttered shakily.

"You can feel it right?" "Here?" Draco moved his and Harry's hands down to where his heart should be beating, over the slash that was seeping blood into his white shirt.

Harry's eyes spilled more tears, "I don't feel anything..." Harry said loudly, his voice still shaky for all to hear.

"I know." Draco uttered, coughing and spitting blood out onto his front and the floor.

"I want answers." Harry once more sounded desperate as he tried to stop the bleeding there with their hands.

"Why?"

"Why?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded, "Why, there isn't anything to tell. It should be obvious by now isn't it? Besides, I hardly remember." He coughed and spit blood again.

More blood came forth under Draco's shirt; Harry disentangled there hands and ripped the shirt open revealing what he knew to be there. Everyone still gasped though, including Harry.

Harry's whole body shook to it's core, "Ma--Mal--Ma--Malfoy."

"I--"

He blinked several times and coughed more blood before he tried to go on. His own body shook, all his many wounds returning full force with a vengence.

"Po--Potter."

"Wh-hat?" He shook even more.

He screwed his eyes up and shook his head at a particular gruesome wound that suddenly sprang back up, "Uhh."

"Do you--Do you know--" "Hah." "Th--that Snape..." "Hah." "That Snape is...friends." He coughed and swallowed thickly. "With your..your..Mother." He breathed out.

Harry screwed his own eyes up but at the obsurdity of what Draco was saying.

"What?"

"I said..."

"No, no. I heard what you said, how the hell would you know that or not?" Harry's eyes once more went wider then they should of been able too.

_'Why would Malfoy being saying something like that. Besides how would he know if they are or they're not. Which they're not....'_

Draco swallowed, "You don't...believe me?" Draco licked his bloodied lips.

Harry shook his head more.

"I don't understand how you know that, besides they aren't friends. They haven't been since their fifth year at Hogwarts..." Harry trailed off.

Draco laughed brokenly, "No...You're...You're wrong. They are.."

"Hah. Hah. Hah."

"Are...friends..."

Harry was blinking quickly once more to prevent tears but because he wasn't sure what the hell was going on.

"Malfoy seriously, what the fuck is going on?! You're freaking covered in blood and...and you're...you're heart...now your talking about the dead? What the fuck is going on?!"

Draco carefully licked his blood covered lips again as he watched Harry pull at his hair with his blood soaked hands, Draco's blood dripping into his raven messier than usual hair.

He was going to say more on the matter of Snape and Potter's Mother when he collaped suddenly to the ground shaking more than before; his whole body was rigid and shaking continuously. Little sounds of pain escaping his parted wet blood soaked lips.

It wasn't a very pleasant feeling to be dying all over again.

The same time Harry screamed for help once again was the same time Draco screamed loudly and window shatteringly.

Harry fell to his knees then, his hands scrambing to find purchase on Draco's colder than cold hands.

At once all the Professors rushed down the aisles between the Tables, several running from the Floo with Madam Pomphrey hot on their heels.

"Harry. Madam Pomphrey's here now..." Hermione spoke still quite, still to afraid of speaking any louder.

Witnessing another unpreventing death wasn't going to be good for her friends health, she knew this; and she was sure Harry knew this too.

No matter that this person was Harry's enemy, it still won't be healthy for him to see it.

"It's just Malfoy..." Ron muttered then, continuing to eat his chicken legs and cheese.

"Po--" He screamed. "--tter." He coughed blood. "You know..." Sigh. "That the Pro--fessors..can't help...me." He wheezed out.

Harry swallowed as he knew this was true, tears freely falling once more. Tear after tear running down his face. "Malfoy even you don't deserve to die, they--I'm sure they can help."

Draco shook his head slowly, carefully. "No. You--know. They...can't." Blood.

"They can." He nodded down at him desperately and up at the nurse.

"You..You said, you wanted...to..know?" "hah, hah, hah." "How?" He swallowed thickly and coughed up more blood then before as he screamed.

"How?" Draco just nodded, his hair sliding through his own blood as well as his other hand as he tried to find purchase himself.

"I--I"

"I betrayed..." He laughed chokingly, "The...Dark Lord."

Harry frowned, "What? What are you talking about, the War is over Malfoy. It was over months ago. Who hurt you? I can't believe someone at Hogwarts would do this too you." He shook his head sadly and angrily.

"No matter who you are, you don't deserve this."

Draco shook his head, his bloodied hand slipping from Harry's and finding purchase on Potter's shirt; he didn't seem to understand. "I...betrayed him, he had--had Werewolves and--and creatures and--and I--I didn't--I never wanted..too..I..Potter I have--I have no heartbeat."

He blinked several more times before his eyes finally rolled back into his head and his hand slipped from Harry's shirt to fall in his own pool of blood.

Harry's eyes widened and then realised what Draco was saying as he'd well...died.

Again.

"Malfoy? Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?!!!!!" Harry yelled desperately, hands sliding in blood as he tried to draw himself closer, pressing his hands on Draco's chest as no one else including the Medi Witch seemed to be moving to help.

Suddenly he reached up and yanked the Medi Witch down to her knees in the swirling blood, "You have to save him, you're a Medi Witch!" He hurriedly placed her hands and wand on Draco's chest, replacing his own that had been there before.

She frowned at the young man she thought of as a son, then down at the dead one at her knees, she'd heard his last words, it seemed Harry had not.

"Harry dear..." She trailed off.

"No. NO!" He blinked, his body shaking, his head shaking.

"You can save him!" He screetched.

She shook her head sadly, pushing herself quickly to her feet and moving away so as not to have the tail of her Medi Witch uniform grabbed on to.

"Ma--Madam Pomphrey?" Harry asked wobbily, his voice barely audible and broken as he looked up at her with sadened eyes.

"I'm sorry Harry, but Mister Malfoy is right in what he said; there isn't anything anyone can do anymore."

"What? No. He's wrong, you're wrong!" His words were heard in every corner of the Hall, broken and fragile sounding; it renched at everyones heart strings. To think this was the Defeater of Voldemort leaning over the dead form of Draco Malfoy; crying as if he'd lost his parents and family once again.

Harry scrabbled around in the blood, searching for his forgotten wand. "Where is it where is it where is it where is it." He was frantic in his search and his muttering.

For several long moments all that was heard were the heart-renching sobs of Harry Potter.

The staff that were consoling the younger years and trying to keep order within Hogwarts Great Hall.

And Hermione Granger trying to console her weeping friend of seven almost eight years.

//

**_It was very heart-renching Draco thought, to hear in the distance Harry Potter's cries for him._ **

_Why was Harry Potter, the Defeater of Voldemort crying for him; for Draco Malfoy the son of a dead Death Eater and his wife._

_He didn't deserve the tears of Harry Potter._

_So Harry Potter shouldn't cry for him._

_No one should. He thought._

**_Now where was he exactly? He couldn't see anything but white mist. No Harry Potter or Great Hall insight, so then was he back here?_ **

**_In the after life to stay this time? At least until they decide where to send him?_ **

_He sighed, seating himself down on the white misty floor of wherever he was._

_There was no blocking the sounds coming to him from a distance and they made him sad, depressed, even to hear them and not be able to stop them._

**_A Ghost. A Ghost you shall stay...._ **

_What?!_

_Draco looked around, trying to decifer where the omnious voice had drifted from; but he could see nothing, nothing at all._

**_A Ghost. A Ghost you shall stay...._ **

_He frowned down at himself, listening to the voices that mingled this time as the words were spoken._

_A Ghost?_

//

It seemed mere seconds later he was being tossed back into the Great Hall, with its populis crowding around his form and Harry Potter's kneeled **_still_** it seemed, in Draco's blood.

He shook himself, looking down over Harry Potter at himself. It wasn't an all together pleasant exprience to see ones self lying dead on the floor in a pool of their own blood.

He cleared his throat scratchely, garnering the attention of everyone present; many of those with frightened looks and back and forth glances.

Harry Potter didn't move.

He cleared his throat again, "Potter." His voice was raspy it seemed once more as it had when he'd been brought back, in a manner of speaking.

Harry blinked and frowned, trying to rub his swollen eyes without smearing them with someone's blood and whipped his head around in Draco's direction, almost slipping in the very blood he was kneeled in.

"Huh?!"

"Very uh articulate."

"What?!" He grabbed at his hair again, in that frantic panicked manner. "You're, huh?! Am I finally going insane?!" He gripped tighter as his voice got higher.

Draco shook his head slowly, "No, not insane. But maybe you'd prefer to be? I'm dead....Potter."

"I--I don't understand?" He shook his head, turning it to see Draco's dead form splayed out on the floor and the one behind him.

"I--I'm sorry. They--they wouldn't help." He pointed a finger back at the staff and the Medi Witch.

"I know they couldn't, you didn't seem to understand that...I wasn't alive when I came back to Hogwarts Potter."

"Wh--Hu--What do you mean?" There was that confused wary expression again.

Draco heaved a sigh before floating his translucent self closer to Potter's. "Before I then--" He pointed down at his own body, trying to avoid actually looking at himself, "--I told you that I had betrayed the Dark Lord, I wasn't lying; I had. And I was killed because of it, as was Severus." He swallowed thickly.

"In the heat of Battle I betrayed the Dark Lord. I was brutally put to slaughter." He shook his head, "You and no one else will want to hear it, I don't even want to hear myself re-tell it. And you know something that's worse? All I remember is the slaughter, I don't remember anything else clearly enough to remember it. I hate that. Someone had to of found me to have brought me at least part way back; to try and give me another chance."

"To have tried just then so much to bring me back, to stop anything of this; I'm grateful if sadened by it. I don't want to hurt you anymore than that already has. That can't of done you any good; seeing more death, after the war?" He shook his head sadly. "You were trying though, for someone like me; someone that you don't even like you were trying and I thank you for it."

"Truly." He nodded.

He closed his eyes briefly and chuckled lightly, "You really are just like your Mother, Potter. You're just as kind as she is--was."

Harry frowned, "What?" His shook his own head, "Wait, did you just compliment me?"

He shrugged chalantly and spread his hands, "Complimenting you won't kill me anymore than Voldemort already has. Besides which, it's not as though I haven't complimented you before many times...Granted it wasn't to your face, but I've still done it."

He went to stand up and unconciously extended a hand to help Harry up off the floor and Harry had even gone too, but his hand went through it instead; he frowned sadly and looked away as did Draco.

"You've really complimented me before?" It was quitely spoken but it'd been heard quite clearly.

"Yes. I have." Draco blinked as he heard a choked sob.

"I am really sorry for this." Harry uttered, drawing himself to his feet slowly.

Draco shook his translucent head sadly again, extracting his hand. "Forget it. I'll probably never get used to it..."

"But I still don't understand..."

"What? Don't understand? What don't you understand, that I'm dead?" He raised a transparent eyebrow.

"No..." His head shook hesitantly, "You weren't before...dead, I mean." "Well..."

He made a noise of frustration as he tried and failed to come up and speak the right words he was trying to convey.

"Very incredibly like your Mother..." He muttered in awe.

"Hmm?" Harry heard him, frowning in further confusion.

"My Mother, how do you know I'm like my Mother?"

Draco shook his head, not wanting to answer that this moment. He turned to the Potions Professor that looked halfway pleased and frightened all at once.

"I did steal your ingredients for the record." He poked out his tongue childishly.

Her mouth opened angrily and she stepped forward menacingly, "How dare you, you thieving, keniving little--"

He cut her off with a malicious grin and a mocking hand to his unbeating heart, "Oh no, are you angry at me **_Professor_**? what're you going to do? Hurt me?" He mocked, poking his tongue out again in satisfaction as she closed her mouth in outrage; he turned back to address Harry.

"I was using Potions to temporarily keep myself alive, well I had taken one before coming; I had thought it would last, why I thought that I'm not sure. But in order to have more of a second chance I needed more Potions, thankfully it seemed this Professor" He pointed his finger at her, "likes to stock up well in barely legal ingredients; so I made the Potions I needed to keep the farce going.

"But how did you make the Potions if you don't have a wand?" Harry's eyes wandered over Draco's ghostly form.

"You realised I didn't have a wand?"

Harry nodded slowly, "I noticed. They didn't believe me." He waved his hand in the direction of his friends.

"So how did you make the Potion when you don't have a wand; you blew up that Potion you were making the other day in Potions class because you're wand wasn't on your desk ready for use...."

Draco frowned, "You noticed I did that?" He made a face, as if to say 'Huh, who knew?'

Harry nodded though, "So?"

"Right, well...That Potion doesn't seem to need any spellwork. I guess whoever found the Potion thought it was likely I'd have to make more myself once the dose wore off and made sure that the Potion itself needn't have needed spellwork."

He shrugged uncomfortably.

"So where is your wand?" Harry asked.

"They snapped it."

"Before they..." He trailed off and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Before they killed me, yes Potter; you can say it. It's not as if I'm sensitive to it, I know I am and I will accept it. There isn't anything anyone or I can do about it."

"But--"

"Why couldn't I just retake the Potions?" Harry nodded hesitantly.

"For a couple reasons; the ingredients are rare for one thing and it probably would of been okay if Headmistress McGonagall didn't do a search of the Dormitory. Because she found and unlocked that trunk underneath my bed, the Potions I had made and hid there are no longer there...You see that trunk was a gift from Lucius; charmed to make the contents disappear if someone other than the owner of the trunk were to open it. She opened it, the contents disappeared forever." He shrugged. "But never matter anyway, even if we had ingredients to make said Potion, I would no longer be able to take them."

"Why?"

"Because I can no longer ingest anything, or touch anything. I'm a Ghost."

"You uhm, weren't before?"

Draco shook his head.

"I wasn't..."

"Oh..."

Draco nodded again.

"About what you said before, about being like my Mother; how do you know that?"

"Ah."

"I met her. You're Mother, Father too. She's a fonominal woman."

Harry's eyes widened, "You what?" "Why?"

Draco shrugged, not so sure of that himself.

//

**_He had come too, laying on the ground of some place that smelled of Water Lilies and cinimon. The entire place was swamped in thick swirling mist, he could barely see a thing; but every now and then as he crawled to his knees he saw a glimpse of shadowy figures floating through the fog._ **

_"Mister Malfoy."_

_"Mister Malfoy?"_

_"Draco."He had frowned then, confused as to the voice coming to him from a distance; he looked around but he still couldn't see a thing._

_"Draco?"_

_"S-Severus?"_

_"Yes Draco, stand up and come here."_

_"Uhm where exactly is here, I can't see a thing...."_

_"Oh."_

_He'd heard a slight chuckle then and widened his eyes; a chuckle? Since when did Severus Snape ever laugh?_

_His eyes got wider as something light and cold pulled him to his feet; but he still couldn't see anything._

_"Easy relax, this place isn't going to hurt you; you need to calm down and breathe calming, slowly."_

_Draco had closed his eyes then, listening to his Former Head of House's voice; soothing and calming to his nerves, he soon calmed down enough that Severus had told him to slowly open his eyes and remain quite still._

_"Why?"_

_"It may be a shock."_

_"Sh--shock... Okay..."_

**_The moment that Draco had opened his eyes, the floating shadowy figures began to come into focus; What they were, they had to be what Ghosts? Souls? Spirits?_ **

**_Something close too he was sure._ **

_"Se--Severus where am I?"_

_Severus had tilted his head and made an open expression of worry; "Do not freak out and try and stay calm, but you're in the realm of the dead. Not quite living but not quite dead either I'm afraid, but you're halfway there."_

_"I feel as though something is touching me?"_

_Severus looked down, his own hands had fallen to his sides. He frowned._

_"Perhaps someone has found you and is trying to bring you back; could be why you're here, to hear the verdict so to speak. Come have some tea and play some chess while you wait?"_

_"Uhm...Okay."_

_Severus had nodded and led him over to a lovely little set up underneath a large Oak tree on a hill._

_"Sit." He instructed, sitting himself._

_"Severus!" There was a yell._

_"Hmm?"_

_"Severus have you seen Cyatrix?"_

_Severus shook his head, lifting his cup to drink. Draco's eyes were rounded as he looked up and behind Severus to the woman standing there._

_"Oh you have a vistor Severus?"_

_"An old student of mind, my Godson actually. I haven't seen the child no; Sorry."_

_"Oh." She tuttered, looking around and wandering up the hill. "Cyatrix!?"_

_Draco blinked. "Who was that?"_

_"That? Lily."_

_"Lily?"_

_Severus nodded, "Lily Potter."_

_"You mean Potter's Mother? You know her?!"_

_"Yes I do. We were once friends many years ago. Since coming here we have once more became so; I have also learnt a great many things I hadn't before. Seems in the afterlife she has come to forgive me for my past transgressions"_

_Draco blinked at him._

_"Wait." He shook his head quickly, suddenly feeling dizzy."You were once friends with Potter's Mother?"_

_"Yes. And once more."_

_"What did you do?"_

_"I had said certain things I hadn't meant to say nor meant in general; I couldn't take them back once they had been spoken, our friendship had already been deterating since we started Hogwarts, it was only the final push it had needed to ruin that friendship all together and push her towards her Husband."_

_Draco blinked owlishly again and jumped as something crawled around his feet; he looked down and they widened comicly._

_The something under the table just blinked back at him owlishly, dark ginger tresses falling into his impossibly green eyes; his hair was almost black if one looked in a certain way._

_"Uh, Severus?"_

_"Mmm." He moved a peice on the board and took another swig of his tea._

_"There's a baby under the table..."_

_"Oh." His head appeared to disappear a moment before resurfacing and calling out._  
  
"Lily!" 

_Cyatrix made a frightened sound and went scurring from under the table when arms suddenly appeared and grabbed him by the middle._

_"Cyatrix, you know better than to run off like that! You naughty little boy, Daddy is going to be very angry when he finds out. You could get lost, we have been over this!"_

_The little boy pouted cutely, his eyes going huge and pleading._

_Lily sighed, looking down at him with a tad more affection than a second prior._

_Draco closed his eyes and shook his head, re-opening them. "Uhm excuse me?"_

_She looked down with a hint of a smile at him, "Yes?"_

_"Uhm, sorry; but who's child is that?" He pointed at the little boy in her arms._

_She blinked and looked down, then laughed._

_"Mine and my husbands of course." "Why?"_

_Draco frowned, "Huh? But...I don't remember Potter ever saying he had a brother."_

_"Not that Potter would ever tell you." Severus spoke with a smirk._

_Draco frowned further, he knew that; but somehow he didn't think Potter knew he even had a brother._

_She smiled sadly, "You knew Harry then?"_

_He nodded slowly, "Sort of..."_

_"You're Draco Malfoy?"_

_He made a noise, "Well...Yeah, but..."_

_"How do I know? Hah. We have been watching out for our son since he was born Draco, we wouldn't not. I do know who you are. I suppose it's a bit late to tell you to be nice to my son now..." She had an angry type expression flicker over her face a moment before continuing, "...But I had hoped you would someday. He's a very sweet boy our Harry."_

_"Yeah. Very. He doesn't know he has brother does he?"_

_She smiled sadly and shook her head._

_"No he doesn't. That's because he was never born in the realm of the living." The voice spoke from behind him and he looked up, seeing Blue eyes rimmed with rounded glasses and brown messy hair._

_"Potter's Father then?" He smiled politely._

_The man nodded, "Yes. Harry's Father, and much unlike his Mother I am a bit less kind to those that are mean to my son. But then...I saw what they did to you; those Death Eaters. I won't be too rough, but I will say this."_

_"If they decide to send you back, and a miracle that would be; You'd best be nice to Harry you hear? I won't tolerate it if you aren't." He then proceeded to smack Draco up side the head, Cyatrix giggled at this, squirming in his Mother's grasp._

_"Ouch." He rubbed his head._

_"Hear me?" James Potter spoke angrily._

_"Yes, I hear you." His voice sounded pained as he rubbed the back of his head, glaring only slightly at the older version of Harry and the younger._

_"...You said that Cyatrix wasn't born in the realm of the living, he was born here?" "How is that possible?"_

_Lily Potter nodded solemly, "We asked, they allowed it. When I died I was a couple months pregnant, barely even showing at all...They allowed me to continue with my pregnancy unhindered and I delivered at the end of nine months. Cyatrix was born in this realm and will forever be in this realm, that was the condition for his birth. He won't move on...And for this, neither will we. We're thankful to them for allowing us to have our second child."_

_"I don't understand though, if you were still allowed to give birth to your unborn child then how come he hasn't grown? Shouldn't he be a year younger than Potter and I?" He frowned._

_"Another clause, they allowed him to be born, they never said they would allow him to grow beyond this age...."_

_Draco lifted his head again to eye James Potter as he spoke, a frown still marring his angelic features._

_"Still we are thankful that they atleast allowed him to be born."_

_"I only wish that we were still alive and well with our eldest, with our Harry." James Potter nodded his agreement with his wife._

_"Mama." The little boy curled one of his little hands into one of her orange curls._

_Draco smiled sadly at the picture they made; all three standing together now hugging._

_"If you return please do not tell our Harry."_

_"What do you mean, why?"_

_"Harry has been through enough in his life so far, finding out he lost another family member won't be good for him. He won't be able to handle that kind of news."_

_"I doubt even if he'd believe me, if I did tell him."_

_Not a second after he'd spoken he coughed, beginning to breathe shallowly and wetly. "Wh--"_

_"Bye bye" Cyatrix waved to him sadly from his Mother's arms._

_They widened their eyes, setting to work laying him down on the ground where Severus had found him minutes ago._

_"Goodbye Draco. And try and be a better person this time, you will only get a second chance, you won't get a third." She smiled sadly, a hint of a threat in her Bright Green eyes._

_"See you again Draco Malfoy. And you best remember what we have said."_

_Draco widened his eyes slightly at that comment, afraid of coming back._

_"Bye Draco." His onyx eyes were sad as they looked down at him, a hand resting on his shoulder blade gently._

_//_

He shook himself of the vague memories, returning his eyes back to Potter. "To be honest, I'm not too sure why I met them...In the afterlife I'm sure you could meet anybody but all I met were them and Severus." He delibrately left out the part about meeting Cyatrix, not wanting to anger the spirits of Potter's parents if he divulged what they didn't want him to divulge.

"Oh and I wasn't lying before about Severus and your Mother being friends, apparently in the Afterlife she forgave him for his transgressions; that's what he said. They did seem to be friends. She's not particularly someone I would want to get on the bad side of either, to be holding such a long grudge over something accidently spoken." He shrugged.

"......."

"Though I think I may have gotten on both their bad sides a little bit over the years, she scolded me for it; for being mean to you ever since we were 11; your Father too coincidently... ** _He_** actually smacked the back of my head where as your Mother just scolded me."  He looked anywhere than at Harry.

"She really scolded you and he really hit you?" Harry laughed, doubtful.

"Yes." Draco pouted.

"They both honestly really did that?"

"Yes." He pouted yet further. "Do you uh actually know the reason behind why I was always so mean to you?" He still wasn't looking at Harry.

"And my friends. Mean to me **_and_** my friends."

"Mmhm." Draco cringed, "Do you know why?"

Harry shook his head with a thoughtful expression, "No? Why? Because you were a jerk?"

He made a noise, as if to say he didn't actually really want to say the reason. "I was a jerk and I get that. But the reason why was because I was angry, at you...and...jelous, of your friends; for actually being your friends. I wanted to be your friend and you rejected me; and of course I do know why and I do understand I completely deserved it...but..."

Draco could hear as he clumsily rushed through talking, Harry and his friends laughing.

"Wait, wait. That's the reason why you were a jerk to me and my friends for seven long years? You were hurt and jelous because you got rejected? And my Mum and Dad scolded you and Dad actually hit you, for that exact reason?"

"...Because I was a jerk, yes." Harry's eyes were once more wide and full of laughter.

"Glad you're so amused."

"Sorry, I'm sorry. It's just ironic that's all, to be that hurt and jelous that you'd continue to be the very reason why you got rejected in the first place...And then get scolded and hit by my dead parents." "Tell me more, please? You must of talked more with them, right? How are they, is it weird there or awesome?...." He swallowed thickly.

 He tilted his head, honestly finding it hard to not let slip about Cyatrix. "Well...It did hurt, you know when your Dad hit me."

"It hurt?"

"Mm." Draco pouted, "It hurt."

"How could it have hurt?" His voice was starting to sound odd.

Draco shrugged, "Does it matter? I may have been completely dead then...I think; but either way it still freaking hurt!"

Harry went to open his mouth to ask more but Hermione beat him to it. "Wait..." It stalled Harry's growing amused atmosphere and Draco's rapidly growing annoyed one. "Why are you a Ghost now and not where you were before?"

"Oh."

She nodded confused, "If you were--"

He nodded himself, "Yeah, I uhm...." He shrugged.

"I did visit them more then once I think, the first time was brief; the second time still brief too and I think it was around the same time; so maybe whoever was bringing me back did and then lost me again for another moment and then yeah...But either way the second time I visited, I was treated to shocked faces and your Father and Severus playing chess. Who by the way, is a very sore loser. He actually got really upset and flipped the table when Severus beat him at chess. They were both laughing when your Father did that too."

"I think maybe I asked something and Severus answered it, but I can't really remember what he said, but I'm sure his answer and my question had something to do with what we're talking about now...The reason why I couldn't hear properly was because my head was beginning to feel dizzy again and there were voices echoing in the very back of my mind; the next thing I knew the misty place and the spirits there were gone and I could see and hear someone crying over my body; which by the way I was standing away from so I wasn't exactly alive then either...But not so much a ghost either."

He shrugged completely confusing himself now.

"There was someone crying over your body?" Ron asked incredulously, he'd apparently finished eating his chicken and cheese.

"Yes Weasley, people have been known to hug or cry for a Malfoy..." He rolled his eyes with sarcasm. "I'm not actually sure who it was, though they were crying pretty badly and saying some pretty strange things..."

"Strange things?" Harry asked, his eyes took on a strange tint as he eyed Draco carefully when he spoke again.

"Mmm, well...It's hard to remember anything. But..I'm sure that he said something about likeing me or something for the past year? So obviously maybe I knew him? He also I think said something about being obesessed and something about Voldemort and dead and I don't know. It's really all a blank after that." He shrugged, looking up finally into Harry's eyes; having at some point looked down at his own body lying in his blood.

The Green eyes were wide and filled with something strange.

" **Whhat?** "

"Hmm?" Harry shook his head much too quickly, "Nothing."

"No Potter, what?" Draco narrowed his eyes.

"It's nothing." He shook his head again much too quickly.

"Damn it Potter just tell me!"

"Do you know who gave you the first Potion?" Harry evaded.

"Uhh..." He bit his lip and closed his eyes; trying to remember who. "Probably whoever it was that had the guts to come up to me looking like that and try and bring me back?"

"Well yes okay, obviously but...What did he look like?"

"Why?"

"Just what did he look like Draco?" Draco narrowed his eyes, really looking at Harry now.

He licked his transparent lips, "They had raven hair. And really big blue eyes." He narrowed his eyes again now, his eyes roaming over Harry's form.

"Do you know someone like that Harry?"

Harry blinked then, lifting his head back up from looking down at Draco's lifeless body.

"Did you just..."

Draco nodded his head, floating closer. "I did."

Harry's eyes strayed away from Draco's now Silver.

"Harry." He whispered.

Harry swallowed.

Audibly.

"Potter, you're hiding something aren't you, what is it?"

Harry swallowed again.

He fell back down to his knees, his hands running through his messy hair filled with Draco's dried blood. _' **How. How could I have possibly forgotten that? Why. Why would I oblivate myself?!** ' _

Harry bit the inside of his mouth, trying hard to remain quite as everything came rushing back to him in a rush. All the memories of then when he'd found Draco lifeless practically ripped to shreds on the outskirts of Hogwarts Forbidden Forest, all those memories he'd oblivated came crashing back into his brain, it was painful and in more ways then one. He kept silent though, his finger unconsciously trailing through the still wet blood at his knees. Draco shivered.

Whatever was going on inside that brain of Potter's, Draco would bet anything that it had something to do with him; those eyes were brighter and filling with tears every second time ticked by.

"Potter tell me."

He shook his head.

"You know that's wrong...and--and very gross right? Don't do that."

"Huh?" Harry blinked up, tears freely falling from his eyes now.

Draco's ghostly Silver eyes widened at the sight of Harry crying again; but this time somehow seemed different, like they were continued tears from long ago; not just new from what he had seem half an hour ago. "You're uh, running your finger through my blood...." He trailed off, looking back down at said finger as it stopped it's motion.

"Oh." "Ew." He rubbed it on the cuff of his jeans slowly; even if he'd had his hands soaked in Draco's blood many times over already.

He swallowed thickly.

"Potter honestly? Tell me what the hell you remembered."

"Re--remembered?" He stuttered.

"Yeeeees, obviously." He raised an eyebrow. "I know you remember something, but why you forgot what it was is beyond me...It has something to do with me though doesn't it?"

Harry sighed heavily, "I uh. I knew." Harry nodded, blinking through his ongoing tears.

"You knew? What do you mean?" Draco frowned; all this frowning wasn't good for his skin but then? Hey he was already dead and ghostly so it hardly mattered anymore did it?

"I knew you were dead."

"Huh?"

He licked his lips. "Draco I'm the one that brought you back."

"Bro--brought me back? You--you found me like that?" He looked incredulous.

Harry closed his eyes and nodded, "I--"

Draco was shaking his head, eyeing Harry with concern. "To have found me like that--Potter."

"You--" He closed his eyes again just a moment after opening them.

"You--you have to understand that what I saw..." He took a big breath. "I understand why I did what I did."

He looked as if he were close to throwing up, "Draco it was--you were--damn it Draco it was horrifying. And shit I've seen a lot of horrifying stuff since I came to the Wizarding World; but that, you--nothing and I mean **nothing** , compares to what I saw."

He licked his lips, the tears non stop, flowing down his cheeks.

"To oblivate yourself, that's quite a risk..."

Harry nodded slowly to the words and shocked gasps around them. "A risk definetely, but how can anyone live with themselves after seeing something like that. I knew you weren't a bad person Draco; I was on the Astronomy Tower that night, I **_know_**. I **_knew_**. Draco to have known you weren't a bad person and to let you leave Hogwarts forever..."

"It wasn't the right thing to do, I should of helped you. You weren't a bad person; you had no choice with what you had to do and you even didn't do one of those things and then you actually betrayed Voldemort in Battle."

"To know too that I've hurt you just as bad last year. It didn't make me feel good. And to have realised...my feelings...." He shook his head, stopping himself rambling.

"I saw you on that Battle field Draco; I saw you helping us. I know you tried to stop those spells from hitting Teddy's parents; sometimes all you can do isn't enough...I'm greatfull for you trying. I should of--" He choked up.

"You disappeared halfway through the Battle, I was making my way across to Voldemort; I couldn't see you anywhere....When I did finish him off, and I found you on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest I--it--it was too late...And I...I didn't want--didn't want you to die. You didn't deserve that. No one did. It was so horrible. I barely recongised you, but..that colone you wear; it was how I could. I found a way to bring you back at least...as long as you took the Potions."

Draco blinked slowly, his own tears freely falling. "You saw that, you saw me. You fou--found me like that...I don't blame you for oblivating, it was still a risk though. You said then...that you had a crush on me from the year before?" Draco blinked again down at Harry; who nodded slowly.

"You hadn't--when did you oblivate yourself?"

"After I gave you the Potion and I left...the day I saw you at the funerals; I didn't know what I was seeing I thought maybe...It felt strange, like my memories were still there somehow deep down; locked away. And I knew just knew somehow a little, but then it would vanish again just like that." He clicked his fingers together to enforcise.

Draco blinked quicker, "You brang me back...I ruined the second chance you gave me."

Harry slowly shook his head, "No, no you didn't..."

He opened his mouth to argue but thought of something; "You glamoured your eyes?"

He nodded, "I thought that if my eyes were still Green you'd know as soon as you were 'alive' that I was trying to give you a second chance and then maybe you wouldn't take it. Your Mother approved of what I was trying to do."

"I owed her too; I payed my life debt to her as well as brang back the man I like." His voice sadened further and quietened as he spoke.

"She never even asked me to bring Lucius back; and I'm thankful for it. Though I'm not sure I would of been able to anyway."

"....She hated Lucius." Draco shook his head, "You really do like me?" He sounded hesitant.

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry."

"No."

"No?"

"No. Don't be sorry." "Please."

"You--I can..." Draco shook his head more.

"No you can't."

"I can..." He shook it again, kneeling down in front of Harry.

"Harry, you can't I'm a ghost now; properly a ghost now. When you gave me that Potion I hadn't been one. I can't come back now..." He swallowed and hiccuped at the end of his words.

Harry's face was one of sadness. "Oh." He blinked quicker too.

"I'm sorry." Draco spoke quitely in a whisper.

"It's--it's fine."

"It's not."

"It is...It's fine." Harry nodded for enforcis.

Draco pulled his whitened hair a second before pushing himself closer to Harry, "I am sorry Harry. It is not fine, so please don't pretend it is. It just makes it worse; if it's any consolation what so ever, it's not fine with me either." He licked his lips. "This uhm..." He frowned and bit his lip, leaning awkardly forward; unsure of how this or if it were going to work at all.

He pressed his ghostly lips gently, barely touching against Harry's own lips. His eyes widened as he shivered.

Draco pulled back slowly, feeling awkward; it wasn't like he'd felt much of anything. I mean how could he?

"You--" "Did you just--"

Draco nodded sheepishly, "Yeah, well...Everyone has their secrets don't they?"

"I'm sorry if it felt odd, or strange...Ironic I know, but..." He shrugged awkwardly not sure of what else to say.

"No, no it was great." Harry swallowed, "I only wish...I could really kiss you."

"Me too; Harry."

  
**Chapter 5. A Ghost and a Hero.**  
  
There were so many questions and so many of them unanswered or just unable too be answered.

The rest of that day had past by with sadness and a barage of questions thrown their way; well mostly Harry's way he supposed, as he'd not had the memories for the questions they'd asked.

Hermione had been not stop, question after question until he'd had enough and dematerilised back to the dungeons and Harry'd walked up to the Boys Dormitory in Gryffindor Tower.

He supposed now it was the next day, well past midnight.

He sighed, lounging back just above his egyptian green silk bed sheets.

To be a Ghost and not be able to touch a thing, no sleep, no showers, no new clothes, no food. He sighed again dispotently.

He frowned a second for the fourth time in an hour, there was something niggling in the back of his mind. He'd been trying to ignore it, but the more he ignored the feeling the more it intensified.

Floating out of the Dormitory while the rest of the males were asleep in their beds, curtains drawn across to conceal the occupants vunerabilty, he followed the feeling in the back of his mind, his body floating to wherever on its own.

Where that irritating feeling was leading him was apparently outside, because the next second he was floating through the front Oak doors of Hogwarts and veering to the left of the Black Lake.

He sighed heatedly and tiredly closed his eyes as they came in seeing distance of the forboding black darkness that was the Forbidden Forest.

"So what? Is this where I'm supposed to be tethered to at Hogwarts now that I'm a Ghost?" That feeling once more got further intense as he stopped to speak out loud.

Rubbing his face in annoyance he floated further to the Forest, to the forbidding edge, he looked around and down as the feeling subsided and vanished.

"So it is then..." Down at his feet was a pool of dried blood, this was where he'd died the first time and this was where he was tethered. ' _I hope I'm not like moaning mrytle, I don't want to be stuck floating around here forever...Can't the whole of Hogwarts be where I'm tethered?_ '

Moving slightly away from the dried blood, he sat down and folded his legs; his irridencent form floating centremetres off the ground, he laid his head in his hand, feeling depressed and bored all at the same time.

' _So this is to be my life now?_ '

_"Draco?"_

He frowned.

_"Draco?"_

"Yees?" He raised an eyebrow, looking around himself; but there was no one, just a voice it seemed.

"Who's there?"

_"Cyatrix..."_

"Cyatrix? Wait... You don't sound little anymore?"

_"Heh, no...That's only because my voice in your head is my own; the one I should have, my rightful voice."_

"Oh. Makes sense I suppose...Did you want to talk to me?"

There was a pause as he assumed Cyatrix was nodding, _"Yes, I want you to tell my big brother."_

"Tell him, you mean about you?"

_"Yes."_

"Why? You're parents asked me not too, I'm loathe to disobey their wishes."

_"But I want my brother too know he has a little brother. I understand my parents wishes I do; and I understand it may be hard on him...But it isn't right, he should know. And... There's something my parents don't know."_

"Don't know?"

_"I can't tell them...Because with being still a baby I don't have the words. They're lying, they know I can move on, they know I'm not bound to the afterlife. I may have been born in the afterlife, so I am dead and I will never be alive or a Ghost either but there is a way. I want you to tell my brother that I exist."_

"I don't want your parents wrath Cyatrix."

There was a laugh, _"Of course not. I'm loathe myself to have it thrust upon you; but Draco don't you yourself think Harry should know?"_

He made a noise in his throat, "I do but..."

_"I know I know, but you don't want their wrath; I understand I do. But please; I beg you, just tell my brother."_

Draco sighed, a painful expression on his face.

_"I beg you Draco please."_

"Why are you so deperate to have Harry know?"

He heard a sob, _"Draco, please. Please please please please I beg you, tell Harry I exist."_

Another noise and he floated to his feet, "Alright, I'll uh...try."

He felt the presence smile in his mind and leave with a faint, _"Thank you."_

He nodded slowly, reluctantly and headed back towards the Castle; seemed he wasn't fully bound to the Forbidden Forest. Floating through the doors he headed up the numerous stairs to Gryffindor Tower and the Portrait of The Fat Lady.

She scowled at his translucent form, "Yes? What do you want. This is Gryffindor, you are not the House Ghost."

"No I'm not, but I've come to talk to Harry Potter." He scowled himself and went through the Portrait, it felt a little odd but not as odd as a very thick brick wall.

"Harry Potter!" He spun around in the air, looking every which way at all the students staring at him still in awe and fear, he supposed.

He raised an eyebrow at a little first year that came up and tried to poke him; the corners of his mouth twitched up as she squeaked and ran to her friends on the other side of the room.

"Has anyone seen Harry Potter?"

"He. Would be right here." He lifted his hand as he stopped on the edge of the stairs leading to the girls Dormitories.

"Your need of me?"

"I uh...I need to speak with you; privately." Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco as he saw him cringe as he was talking.

"Okay, sure." He spun and headed back up the stairs he'd just come from.

"I have some questions though right now; firstly how come everyone's awake at this hour and secondly how come you were up in the girls dormitory?"

He didn't stop as he snorted and answered, "Everyone's up talking about you and I was getting help from Hermione with some things; I'm gay so the ward on the girls dormitory stairs don't affect me." He shrugged, pushing the door open. "I hope you don't mind being in here..."

"Not really." He shrugged. "I suppose it'll help to have your friend with you when I tell you..." He trailed off.

Harry frowned at this and turned to look at him, "What do you mean by that?"

Draco just shook his head, hovering over Granger's bed; she was currently residing on it, reclining back against the headboard. "Granger." He nodded.

"Draco." She nodded in turn and flipped a page on her book.

"You should probably sit down..." He trailed off again.

Harry was getting quite edgy by the looks of his tensed up shoulders, he slowly came forward, placing himself beside Granger at the headboard; she placed her hand over his and squeezed gently with a small smile.

He gave a small one in turn and turned his head in Draco's direction.

"So uh...What is it?" He swallowed.

Draco breathed out slowly and shakily; he really was reluctant to do this.

_"Relax."_

_"How? I don't want spirits haunting me for the rest of my Ghostly life... How the hell am I supposed to tell your brother that he even has a brother?!"_

They watched as Draco seemed to be having an internal debate with himself, little noises of panic escaping his throat every now and then as he continued to be debating with himself.

_"Relax, it's easy; just tell him. Just say; Harry you have a brother. Plain and simple right?"_

Draco looked incredulous for a moment before he shook his head and breathed deeply once again; he turned to face them. "Okay." He nodded resolutely.

"This is going to sound completely insane and I have no idea if you'll even believe me; but when I was in the Afterlife I met someone else...."

"...Who?"

"I uh....hnnn...I met Cyatrix."

"...."

He bit the inside of his mouth before trying to explain. "Cyatrix Potter."

Harry blinked. "Potter? So what like one of my old relatives?"

Draco heard an amused laugh inside his mind and he let one out himself shakily; he shook his head, "No..."

"Then who?"

"He's more uhm, he's more of a new relative really...." Harry frowned, this looked extremely uncomfortable for Draco to be explaining to him or well trying too.

"New?" "I don't understand, did my dad have siblings or something?"

Draco shook his head, his fingers twining together and twisting. "No..."

_"Draco come on, just tell him."_

_"It's hard!"_

He heard a sigh.

_"You need to tell him, it's the only way...."_

"...Only way for what..." He hadn't meant to mutter it out loud but that's exactly what he ended up doing.

"What?" Harry was extremely confused what was going on, Draco hadn't really told him anything yet.

"What's going on??"

He breathed out again and put his head in his hands muttering something.

"What?"

"I said... Cyatrixisyourbrother..." Harry blinked, trying to decifer the rushed words, his lips moved as his eyes narrowed and darkened.

" ** _Brother?_** " He pronounciated.

Draco made another noise in his throat and nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry; you said brother right?" His words were hissed between teeth; Draco nodded slowly once more.

"Since when did I have a brother? And why the hell was I never told I had a brother?" His face was steadly growing in the shade of red and his eyes were darkening to almost onyx.

_"Okay...Draco I need you sit still and don't say anything okay?"_

Draco frowned but nodded inperceptively.

_"Good."_

**_There was a brief pause where the presence in his mind dimmed and then suddenly vanished, returning a second later humming approvingly._ **

**_For 4 minutes there was silence in his mind nothing but the approving hum thrumming through it. But just as suddenly there was a sharp tug at the back of his mind, as if something was trying rip its way out._ **

**_"I'm so sorry." It was said so soothingly and quietly he wasn't sure he'd actually heard it in his head, but when it did register and he'd went to ask why Cyatrix was apologising two things simultaniously occured._ **

**_One; Draco blacked out._ **

**_Two; Cyatrix appeared._ **

Faintly he could hear someone scream and another yell, he groaned and sat up; it was odd to have fainted as a Ghost, falling down only to not have actually fallen down onto the floor but in the air, floating centremeters as it were from the bed.

He groaned again as he properly came too; "Uhhh."

"I am so sorry Draco." Opening his eyes at the clear voice he came quite literally face to face with an older Cyatrix; his face was inches from his own; his eyes concerned and wry.

"Are you alright?"

He blinked several times with his mouth hanging open, "Fine, I'm fine..." He continued to blink. Cyatrix laughed and smiled, "I'm glad, I am really sorry. I didn't know it'd do that."

Draco shook his head, "I'm fine really, I'm a Ghost; it didn't hurt nearly as much as you think. Uhm..." He frowned and turned his head hesitantly in Harry and Hermione's direction and cringed; seems they were a bit more shocked then he thought they'd be.

"Potter uh Harry?" He shook his head to get the right name.

Harry shook his own head and blinked several times, "Who--who are you?"

Cyatrix smiled sadly and looked down a moment before back up, "I uh, I'm Cyatrix."

"Cyatrix..." His eyes suddenly went wide, "Wait, you mean my brother?"

"So you do believe Draco; That's good." He let out a releaved sigh. "I wasn't sure if you would, though I suppose if you didn't believe him then I wouldn't be here... Well, I wouldn't be able to be here like I am."

"You don't look dead..." Cyatrix raised his eyebrow.

"I assure you big brother I am quite dead and I have never been alive..."

"Never been alive? What do you mean...?"

"Precisely what it means; I've never been alive. I wasn't born in the realm of the living, I was born in the realm of the dead."

"How is that possible?"

"Well, uhm...It's a little complicated and I probably shouldn't stay long; I don't know what the consequences of staying too long are; and Mum is going to carstrate me for disappearing again. But then..." He shrugged. "This was the only way to see you, I wanted you to know that I exist well in the corpreal form at least."

"Wait, you've changed too." Draco spoke suddenly interrupting him before he could speak again.

Cyatrix nodded, "Seems this is how I appear but in the Afterlife I'm still a little baby. I like this...I have my rein over my body, plus I sound awesome." He smiled a toothy smile.

Harry spoke, "So you don't usually look like this?"

"Well I do, but...I'm usually a baby, well a toddler I suppose. I can talk more and I'm older in this form. I'm not sure really what I look like...."

"You--"

"You look very much like Mrs Potter." Cyatrix smiled at Draco and nodded.

Frowning to herself, Hermione stood and rummaged in her draw, pulling out a hand mirror she handed it to Cyatrix.

"Thanks." He smiled at her sweetly.

Holding the mirror shakily he lifted it to see his face; it was older, of course and his hair was pretty much the same as it was when he was a toddler; dark orange brown almost black in certain lighting and was styled as curls just like as a toddler; his eyes were still Green but they had a ring of light crystal blue at the outer ring; and though he was pale he wasn't Ghostly.

He frowned at that, if he wasn't in the form of a Ghost or spirit what was he in then?

"You're not a Ghost."

"Apparently not...but then I wasn't really expecting to be; more uh a spirit really. But then I don't look like one." He shrugged.

"How old are you supposed to be Cyatrix?" There it was, Draco'd been waiting for the inquistive girl to start her questioning.

"I uh...Brother how old are you?"

Harry blinked and stayed quiet for several seconds before he shook himself and answered dazedly, "17."

Cyatrix nodded at this, "Then I'm 16."

Harry's eyes bulged, "You were--are a year younger then me? But then..."

He sat down on the bed infront of his older brother, waiting for him to talk.

"Then our Mother would of been pregnant when I was one and if Voldemort didn't kill her then she would have...Oh my god." He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes.

Cyatrix smiled once more sadly, "It okay Harry, I can come visit you every so often now that you know. You uhm actually are taking it rather well..."

"What do you mean by that; am I not supposed to be happy I actually have--had--have a brother."

Cyatrix smiled, "No you are supposed to be happy; there a people that thought that you wouldn't take it very well that you had lost another family member...But you're taking this all rather well..."

"Well, you're here; you don't look dead and...you just said you'd come and see me every so often so...yeah; I am taking it well. I'm happy. I don't like that you never got a chance at a life but atleast your here and I know about you."

"I'm glad too." He smiled and leaned forward hesitantly, his arms coming around his brother awkwardly; he stopped just short to look Harry in the eye; asking permission before he got a nodd and they hugged each other.


End file.
